Safety clasp for wrist-watch straps



Feb. 21, 1939. Q DUERR SAFETY CLASP FOR WRIST-WATCH STRAPS Filed Feb. '26, 1958 MWF INVENTOR y W4/P255 00F/P1? [9f- ATTORNEY l i-z- Patented Feb. 21, 1939 UNiTED STATES rfi garant signer to Jacoby-Bender, Inc., New York,

a corporation of Nev:7 York Application February 26, 1938, Serial No. 192,625

5 Claims.

This invention relates to a clasp and more,

particularly to an improved clasp for wrist-watch straps, bracelets and similar linkages..

The object of the present invention centers about the provision of an improved clasp of the safety type, that is, one wherein the linkage element locked by the clasp is retained locked by a safety element should the normal latch of the clasp be opened or be accidentally disengaged.

In this type of safety clasp, a pivoted latch functions to seal the keeper opening of the latch and to lock the linkage element therein, and a bolt member (the safety element) functions as a second or safety seal for said latch opening and lock for the linkage element, the construction and arrangement being such that the opening (and particularly an unintended or accidental disengagement) of the latch Will leave undisturbed the safety seal and lock. In operation, when the latch is opened, the bolt member has to be moved manually to its unlocking position to free the linkage element, and the said bolt member is usually returned to its locking position automatically by moving the latch to its closed position.

The prime desiderata of the present invention deals with an improved safety clasp structure wherein the described function and operation is carried out effectively and which is characterized further by the following functional and operational features: (l) the bolt member is returnable automatically to its locking position by theinsertion of the linkage element in the keeper opening of the latch (so that the safety seal and lock may become effective even before the `latch is moved to closed position) and 2) when the bolt member is moved manually to its unlocking position to free the linkage element, the linkage element is partially ejected from the keeper opening of the latch (so that the removal of the linkage element from the latch is facilitated).

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objectsas may hereinafter appear,

the present invention resides in the clasp combination sought to be defined in the appended claims and described in the annexed specification and drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical elevational view of the safety clasp of the invention showing the manner of using the same and depicting the arrangement of parts with the clasp in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof showing the relation of the parts with the latch of the clasp (Cl. 2li-JJM) in opened position and the safety lock in locked position;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional View of the clasp showing the latch in opened position and the safety lock in unlocked position;

Fig. l is a plan view taken in cross-section in the plane of the line #7i-t of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective exploded view of the ciasp showing all the separate component parts thereof.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, the safety clasp of the inventionk generally designated as itl is designed for use with the linkage elements of wrist-watch bands, bracelets or similinkages, the drawing depicting the use of the clasp for wrist-watch straps of the cord type having terminal links it and l2, each terminal link being formed with a cross-bar if! and i4', the

, said cross-bars being the linkage elements which are joined to and locked by the clasp lil. Of these linkage elements, the element l2 is the one which is made removably attachable to the clasp.

The clasp iii comprises essentially the clasp body i5, a latch member it pivoted thereto, the said clasp body having a keeper opening 2l) adapted to removably receive the linkage element i4, the said latch member lil being movable fromthe open position shown in Fig. 2 to the closed position shown in Fig. l when it is desired to seal the keeper opening 2B and latch. the linkage element iii. The safety lock comprises a bolt member 22 which functions when in the locking position shown in Fig. 2 to form a second and safety seal for the keeper opening 2B and a second and safety lock for the linkage element it, the said bolt member 22 being slidably mounted in the clasp body l5 and being movable to the unlocking position shown in Fig. 3 when it `is desired to free the linkage element I4.

To carry out the stated objects of the invention, the operation of the bolt member 22 is controlled by an actuating spring 24 active on the bolt member to urge or move the same to its locking position, and a holding spring 26 which is active on the bolt member to hold the same in its unlocking position after the bolt member has been manually moved to such unlocking position. With this construction and interrelation of the parts of the clasp, it will be seen that when the latch member it is moved to its open position or is accidentally disengaged (assuming the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing), the linkage element M is still detained in locked position, a manual motion of the bolt member 22 from its locking position shown in Fig. 2 to its unlocking position shown in Fig. 3 being required to free the linkage element I4 and to permit removal of the link terminal I2 from the clasp. When the bolt member 22 is thus moved to its unlocking position placing the actuating spring 24 under tension, the holdin-g spring 26 comes into play by dint of its engagement with a part of the bolt member 22 to hold the bolt member 22 in its unlocking position against the action of the actuating spring 24 as is clearly depicted in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The movement of the holding spring 26 from its depressed position shown in Figs. l and 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3 functions to partially eject the linka-ge element I4 so as to facilitate removal of the terminal link from the clasp. Fig. 3 of the drawing also depicts the assumed relationship of the parts when the terminal link I2 is returned to the clasp to be locked thereby. I-Iere it will be seen that upon depressing the free end of the holding spring 26, either by means of the linkage element I4 or by moving the latch member I8 to its closed position, the holding tension on the bolt member 22 will be released and the actuating spring 24 will then be free to move the bolt member 22 to its locking position.

Considering now more in detail the structure of the clasp elements, the clasp body I6 comprises a part suitably shaped of sheet material and forming a housing for the safety bolt, its actuating spring and its holding spring, the said clasp body comprising in detail a bottom wall 28, the side walls 38 and 32, and abutting parts forming a top wall 34, the said top wall having the cutout or opening 36 formed therein. One end of the clasp body I6 is formed with the curled portion 38 which pivotally receives the linkage bar I4', the said body end being also provided with the oppositely turned-in anges or lugs 40, 48, which function to clamp the end 42 of the holding spring 26. The other end of the clasp body I6 is fashioned to provide the hinge lugs 44, 44 suitably oriced as at 46 to receive the hinge pintle 48.

The latch member I8, also suitably fashioned from sheet material, is shaped at one end to provide the depending lug members 50, 50 having orifices which mate with the latch body orifices 46 and which also receive the hinge pintle 48, the other end of the latch member I8 being provided with a down-turned curved or hooked portion 52 adapted to slide over and resiliently interlock with the curled terminal portion 38 of the latch body I6. Desirably, the latch member I8 is also provided at this end with a finger engaging tooth 54.

The bolt member 22 is similarly suitably fashioned out of sheet metal stock and is bent up to provide a top wall 56, two side walls 58, and medially arranged in-turned lugs forming a wall 68. The top wall 56 is desirably provided with teeth 62 defining finger engaging means. The actuating spring 24, which preferably is a compression spring, is seated within the clasp so that its opposite ends are anchored against the wall 68 of the bolt member and a part of the curled end portion 38 of the clasp body. The holding spring 26, which is preferably in the form of a leaf spring, is so designed that a part thereof engages the bottom of the wall 60 of the bolt member when the bolt member is moved to an unlocking or retracted position, all as best depicted in Fig. 3 of the drawing. This holding spring 26 is also so shaped as to provide at its free end an upstanding part 62 which is located in the keeper opening 20 of the clasp and is there engageable (by the linkage element I4 as already described) to release the holding action of this spring and to thereby permit `the actuating spring to move the bolt to its locking position. As will be evident, this upstanding part of the holding spring also functions to assist in ejectng the linkage element when the bolt member is moved to its unlocking or retracted position so as to facilitate removal of the link member from the clasp.

The side walls 30 and 32 of the clasp body have pressed-in portions at their bottom which define interiorly of the clasp body housing a pair of opposite side tracks 64 upon which the bolt member 22 slides or rides. The space between these tracks 64 is that within which the holding spring 26 is movable.

The manner of constructing and using the safety clasp of my present invention and the characteristic functioning thereof securing the advantages of the invention will, in the main, be fully apparent from the above detailed description thereof. It will be further apparent that changes may be made in the construction of the clasp without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A safety clasp comprising a clasp body having a keeper opening for detachably receiving an element to be locked, a latch movably mounted on said clasp body active yfor sealing said opening and locking said element when the latch is moved to its closed position, and a safety bolt for safetysealing said opening and locking said element, said bolt consisting of a bolt member slidably movable in said clasp body relatively to said opening, said bolt member being movable manually to an unlocking position, an actuating spring active on the bolt member to urge the same to a locking position, and a holding spring active on the bolt member to hold the same in the unlocking position, said holding spring having a part located in said clasp opening and there engageable to release the action thereof and to thereby permit the actuating spring to move the bolt member to its locking position. v

2. A safety clasp comprising a clasp body having a keeper opening for detachably receiving an element to be locked, a latch pivotally mounted on said clasp body active for sealing said opening and locking said element when the latch is moved to its closed position, and a safety bolt for safety-sealing said opening and locking said element, said bolt consisting of a bolt member slidably movable in said clasp body relatively to said opening, said bolt member being movable manually to an unlocking position, an actuating spring active on the bolt member to urge the same to a locking position, and a holding spring active on the bolt member to hold the same in the unlocking position, said holding spring having a part located in said clasp opening and there engageable by said element to release the action thereof and to thereby permit the actuating spring to move the bolt member to its locking position.

3. A safety clasp comprising a clasp body having a keeper opening for detachably receiving an element to be locked, a latch movably mounted on said clasp body active for sealing said opening and locking said element when the latch is moved to its closed position, and a safety bolt for safetysealing said opening and locking said element, said bolt consisting of a bolt member slidably movable in said clasp body relatively to said opening, said bolt member being movable manually to an unlocking position, an actuating spring active on the bolt member to urge the same to a locking position, and a holding spring active on the bolt member to hold the same in the unlocking position, said holding spring having a part located in said clasp opening and there engageable by said element to release the action thereof and to thereby permit the actuating spring to move the bolt member to its locking position, the said holding spring being free to move to permit said part to partially eject said element from the clasp opening when the bolt member is manually moved to the unlocking position.

4. A safety clasp comprising a clasp body, having a keeper opening for detachably receiving an element to be locked, a latch movably mounted on said clasp body active for sealing said opening and locking said element When the latch is moved to its closed position, and a safety bolt for safety-sealing said opening and locking said element, said bolt consisting of a bolt member slidably movable in said clasp body relatively to said opening, said bolt member being movable manually to an unlocking position, a spring between the bolt member and an end Wall of said clasp body active on the bolt member to urge the same to a locking position, and a holding leaf-spring anchored at one end to the bottom of said clasp body active on the bolt member to hold the same in the unlocking position, said holding leaf-spring having its free end located in said clasp opening and theredepressible to release the action thereof and to thereby permit the actuating spring to move the bolt member to its locking position.

5. A safety clasp comprising a clasp body having a keeper opening for detachably receiving an element to be locked, a latch pivotally mounted on said clasp body active for sealing said opening and locking said element when the latch is moved to its closed position, and a safety bolt for safetysealing said opening and locking said element, said bolt consisting of a bolt member slidably movable in said clasp body relatively to said opening, a nger piece on said bolt member engageable for moving the member to an unlocking position, an actuating compression-spring between the bolt member and an end Wall of the clasp body active on the bolt member to urge the same to a locking position, and a holding leaf-spring anchored at one end to the bottom of said clasp body active on the bolt member to hold the same in the unlocking position, the said clasp body forming a housing for the bolt member and said springs, said holding leaf-spring having its free end located in said clasp opening and there engageable by said element to release the action thereof and to thereby permit the actuating compression-spring to move the bolt member to its locking position, the said free end being free to move to permit the partial ejecting of said element when the bolt member is manually moved to the unlocking position.

CHARLES DUERR. 

